


Noted

by nxghtwxng



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Coming Out, F/M, Friendship, M/M, Misunderstandings, Young Justice Season 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23924530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nxghtwxng/pseuds/nxghtwxng
Summary: “I’m so sorry,” she repeated, thoroughly embarrassed. Oh God, she’d just tried to kiss her gay peer counselor.OREd tries his best to help Wendy come to terms with her meta abilities, but Wendy misreads his concern as something a little more.
Relationships: Bart Allen/Eduardo Dorado Jr.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 105





	Noted

**Author's Note:**

> I found a very rough draft of this in my Google Docs the other day, and after a hell of a lot of editing, I think it's acceptable to post. Enjoy!

Wendy sighed as she pushed open the door to the multipurpose room. The room was empty, which she greeted as a reprieve. She’d had a long day, and the quiet was welcome. She stepped into the room, letting the door fall shut behind her. She slouched into a folding chair, dropping her backpack by her feet and looking up at the clock on the adjacent wall. It was about a quarter past three, meaning she still had about an hour until group therapy.

As skeptical as she’d been at the start, the Meta-Human Youth Center in Taos, New Mexico had become somewhat of a safe haven for Wendy. When she’d first heard of the center, she never would have thought she’d come to rely on it as heavily as she now did. After what she’d been through, the very ideas of peer counseling and group therapy had seemed laughable, too soft to have any real impact. Still, with seemingly uncontrollable powers and nowhere else to go, she figured she would at least attend the orientation, though had it not been for Ed, she probably would have left before it even started. Since orientation, she’d come to appreciate the center and all that it stood for. There was comfort in knowing she wasn’t the only one struggling with a newly activated meta-gene. There were others who had been through the same hell she had, who understood what it was like to have powers thrust upon you, consequences be damned.

Her powers still terrified her, especially after the training incident. They made her a weapon, and a lethal one at that. How could that not terrify someone? 

Ed liked to remind her that just because she hadn’t asked for powers, it didn’t mean she couldn’t one day come to appreciate them. Wendy hoped that was true, and maybe it was for Ed, but his powers didn’t have the same risk as hers. If they did, Wendy wondered if Ed wouldn’t slap an inhibitor collar around his own neck.

She raised a hand to her collar, the tips of her fingers tracing the release button that she may never press.

“Are you thinking about taking it off?” Wendy startled, looking up to see Ed had entered the room as she’d lost herself in thought. She lowered her hand as Ed sat down besides her. “No,” she admitted. “I just… I can’t.”

The truth of the matter was she wasn’t sure if she’d ever feel comfortable without the collar. The training scare had frightened her more than she cared to admit.

“That’s okay,” Ed replied softly. He met her eyes as he spoke. “If you’re not ready, you’re not ready. That’s the whole reason we have the collars, so you can set the pace yourself and start using your powers when you're ready, and only when you're ready.”

“I know,” she nodded. Ed repeated the sentiment at almost every meeting. What he never told them, however, was how they’d know when they were ready.

Wendy wasn't quite sure why, but she felt compelled to keep talking. “Once I could use them on my own terms, I didn’t really mind my powers,” she admitted. “I thought they were kind of cool. I never really understood the kids who complained about their powers. I never understood that there could be a downside.”

Wendy wasn't quite sure where this was coming from. It was out of character for her to share this easily. While she wasn’t necessarily quiet, what she did say was rarely personal. She usually hid behind a false bravado. The last time she’d been this raw and open was directly after the training incident, when Ed had teleported them outside and she’d broken down, sobbing in his arms. She wasn’t sure what was inspiring this current bout of openness, but she continued nevertheless.

“I never really had complete control of my powers, but before that day, I’d never lost control that badly." Though she didn’t specify which day she was talking about, they both knew. "I’d never realized my powers could be dangerous, or that something like that could even happen. If I take off the collar what’s going to stop me from losing control? Without the collar, I’m dangerous.”

Ed placed a hand on top of Wendy’s. “I know it’s scary, but if you’re confident in your ability and patient with yourself, you can learn to control,” he said. “Maybe your powers are dangerous, but _you_ aren’t dangerous, Wendy. I’m not saying you have to take the collar off right now, but when you do, just know that you’ll have a ton of people here to help you, me most of all.”

Wendy looked down at where Ed’s hand rested on her own and felt a small flutter in her stomach. She realized then why she found it so easy to open up around Ed. She wanted to open up to him because she wanted him to know her, and she wanted to know him in return. She liked Ed, with his gentle smile, warm eyes, and wise words that, despite his young age, never managed to make him sound pretentious. He was just too kind to be anything but.

Lifting her head to once again meet his eyes, Wendy felt safe. Her eyes darted from his eyes to his lips and back. His hand was still on hers. Slowly, she began to lean closer, tilting her head slightly to meet Ed.

Only Ed leaned away.

The mood in the room immediately shifted, the previous feeling of safety and comfort replaced with an awkward tension. “Wendy-” Ed began, removing his hand from hers.

Wendy interrupted Ed before he could say anything more. “No, I’m sorry,” she said, grabbing her backpack as she sprung to her feet. “I shouldn’t have…” She trailed off, her face growing warm and her eyes watering with embarrassment. “I’m just gonna go,” she said. She slung her backpack over her shoulder as Ed rose to his feet.

“No, Wendy, don’t go,” he told her. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. I really like hanging out with you, I just-”

“It’s fine,” Wendy interrupted, her face growing warmer. God, she just wanted to leave so this could be over, but Ed was blocking the aisle, so either he needed to move or she’d have to climb over the rows of folding chairs.

“No, Wendy, it’s just, I kind of have a boyfriend,” Ed told her. He gave an awkward smile.

Oh. _Oh_.

“You’re…?” Wendy asked.

“Yeah,” Ed replied.

“Oh,” Wendy offered lamely.

“Yeah,” Ed repeated, this time with an awkward chuckle. “I guess I don’t really talk about it here.”

He didn’t. In fact, Wendy realized, outside of anything directly related to his coming to terms with his meta-powers, Ed never talked about himself at all. He was only at the center to listen to and help others. It was his job. It was his job to offer her kind words and advice. He was easy to talk to because, as a peer counselor, _it was his job_. God, everything she thought she liked about him could be used to describe any other counselor at the center.

“I’m so sorry,” she repeated, thoroughly embarrassed. Oh God, she’d just tried to kiss her gay peer counselor.

Ed laughed, and this time the chuckle was less awkward. “Seriously, don’t worry about it. Are you staying for the meeting?” he asked, changing the subject.

Her first instinct was to say no, flee the scene, and get as far away from Ed and the multipurpose room as possible. However, leaving would only mean a free afternoon to rethink and relive the mortification she’d just endured. At least a meeting would be a good distraction. “I guess,” she answered, once again shrugging off her backpack.

Ed smiled, but before he could reply his phone began to ring. He pulled his phone out of his back pocket, looked at the caller ID, and his smile quickly turned into a grin. “I’ve gotta take this, but I’ll be back in time for the meeting,” he told Wendy. Ed answered the call. “Hey, Bart,” he greeted as he headed for the exit. As the door swung shut behind him, Wendy heard Ed laugh at something from the other line.

Shortly after Ed left, the room began to fill with the usual crowd of metas, but Wendy kept to herself. Ed returned in time to start the meeting, and the rest of the afternoon proceeded as usual.

In the following days, neither Ed nor Wendy brought up what had happened, and for that, Wendy was grateful. She’d rather just pretend it didn’t happen, and Ed either understood that or felt the same.

She continued to come to the center early, though she didn’t frequent the multipurpose room quite as often as before. Instead, she opted for the rec room, where it was easier to avoid Ed, who now stood as a living reminder of her embarrassment. Still, if she wasn’t up for the noise and activity that came with the rec, she’d usually end up in the multipurpose room. The day she took off her inhibitor collar was one of those days.

Upon arriving at the center, Wendy headed straight for the multipurpose room, yearning for a quiet place to think. The doors, however, were already propped open, and Wendy could see Ed laughing with one of his friends as they set up a refreshment table of the far side of the room. She lingered in the doorway for a moment, debating whether or not she should enter.

After a moment’s hesitation, she stepped inside. It was a pretty big room and Ed had a friend with him, meaning there was virtually no risk of Ed bringing up the fact that Wendy had tried to kiss him the last time they were alone. Sighing, Wendy dropped into a folding chair nearest the exit, placing her backpack on the chair next to her. Neither boy seemed to notice she had entered.

“Hey, leave some for the kids actually going to the meeting,” Wendy heard Ed say. She looked across the room to see Ed’s friend eat a chocolate chip cookie in about two bites.

“Hey, you’re the one who said I could help myself,” the friend replied around a mouthful of cookie. “That’s a dangerous thing to say to a speedster.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Ed told him.

“You love it,” said his friend, stepping closer to Ed. Wendy’s eyes widened somewhat as the two began to kiss. This speedster must be the boyfriend Ed had mentioned, she realized.

Wendy, realizing she was intruding, reached for her backpack, intending to head for the rec room and give the couple their space. She stood, slinging the backpack onto her shoulder, and managing to knock over a folding chair in the process. Wendy cringed as the couple turned to see what had caused the noise.

“Sorry,” she said awkwardly. She bent down to pick up the fallen folding chair.

“No need to apologize,” Ed replied good-naturedly. He walked towards Wendy, the other boy following behind him. “Wendy, this is my boyfriend, Bart,” he introduced as they approached. “Bart, this is Wendy.”

“Hey! Nice to meet you,” Bart exclaimed, smiling widely. “Ed has told me a lot about you.” Wendy felt the familiar feeling of embarrassment, assuming that what Ed had told him was likely limited to the fact that she had tried to kiss him not too long ago. Bart, however, surprised her, as he continued to speak.

“Wind powers, right? Like Aerokinesis? Totally crash!” Wendy wasn’t sure what crash meant, but from Bart’s grin she assumed it was good. She grinned back. “And hey! No more inhibitor collar!” He held out his hand for a high-five and she reciprocated, her embarrassment slowly fading away. Bart’s excitement was contagious. “Hey, I gotta run, but it was totally cool meeting you,” Bart said. Then, turning towards Ed he added, “See you at Gar’s later?” Ed nodded, and after what Wendy could only assume was a super-speed kiss on the cheek, Bart sped off.

It somehow made sense that Ed, being so reserved and mature, would be dating someone as hyperactive and excitable as Bart. As brief as her interactions with Bart had been, she could see they fit well together. Opposites attract and all that.

“I like him," Wendy told Ed. "He seems like a really great guy.”

Ed’s smile softened. “Believe me, it’s been noted.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. I know this isn’t my best work, but kudos and comments are very much appreciated!


End file.
